Locking zipper glide device

ABSTRACT

A locking slider for a zipper including a housing through which passes interlocking fastener elements forming a closure. The housing has inner and outer members forming a passageway for the fastener elements, and a countersunk tapped aperture therein in registry with the interlocking fastener elements when they are formed into a closure. A set screw with a non-standard head is threaded into the tapped aperture to fit snugly with the closure formed by the interlocking fastener elements to lock the locking slider in place with respect to the interlocking fastener elements. The zipper and locking slider can be used with a stuffed plush toy or a gun bag or case or any other container.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application, pursuant to 37 C.F.R. 1.78(c), claims priority based on provisional application Ser. No. 60/60/690,469 filed Jun. 14, 2005, 60/742,852 filed Dec. 5, 2005 and 60/788,973 filed Apr. 4, 2006

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a slider for a slide fastener, commonly known as a zipper, provided with a locking device. The principal purpose of this invention is to provide a locking device that can be used to prevent access by a child into a zipper closed compartment of a garment or stuffed animal. The invention also has utility in keeping closed containers such as gun bags or money bags which are desired to be kept private, preventing children accessing the interior of the container. However, the principal purpose of the subject invention is in the use of plush toys of the type that are stuffed, sometimes on site by request from the purchaser with the inventive locking mechanism engaged to prevent access to the interior compartment containing the stuffing.

There are a wide variety of locking mechanisms available for zippers in the art and many of these include automatic devices including rotating pawls, springs and the like. The subject invention is novel and useful for its simplicity, its easy manufacture, its inexpensive nature and the fact that without a special tool, the locking device cannot be unlocked.

More specifically, in the preferred embodiment the invention relates to a plush animal skin which is provided to a retailer in the unstuffed condition along with machines and other mechanisms for stuffing the plush skin, wherein the present invention is used to lock the plush skin after stuffing so as to prevent access to the interior of the stuffed skin, preventing hazard to the children and unsightly mess if the stuffing is removed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive locking slider for a variety of purposes which is difficult if not impossible to unlock without a special tool, generally unavailable to the public.

Another object of the invention is to provide a locking slider for a zipper, comprising a housing through which passes interlocking fastener elements forming a closure, the housing having inner and outer members forming a passageway for the fastener elements, a counter sunk tapped aperture in the outer member in registry with the interlocking fastener elements when formed into a closure, a set screw having a non-standard head for threadable engagement with the counter sunk tapped aperture, whereby when the set screw is in the counter sunk tapped aperture and in snug contact with the closure formed by the interlocking fastener elements the housing is locked in place with respect to the interlocking fastener elements and cannot be moved without a mating tool for the non-standard head of the set screw.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a plush animal skin having a zipper therein, comprising interlocking fastener elements and a locking slider therefor, the locking slider having a housing through which passes the interlocking fastener elements capable of forming a closure, the housing having inner and outer members forming a passageway for the interlocking fastener elements, a counter sunk tapped aperture in the outer member in registry with the interlocking fastener elements when formed into a closure, a set screw having a non-standard head for threadable engagement with the counter sunk tapped aperture, whereby when the set screw is in the counter sunk tapped aperture and in snug contact with the closure formed by the interlocking fastener elements the housing is locked in place with respect to the interlocking fastener elements and cannot be moved without a mating tool for the non-standard head of the set screw thereby preventing the plush animal skin zipper from being opened if formed into a closure.

The invention consists of certain novel features and a combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the details may be made without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the invention, there is illustrated in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the invention, its construction and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the locking slider of the present invention with the pull tab in an elevated position;

FIG. 2 is a top elevational view of the locking slider of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view in partial section of the locking slider illustrated in FIG. 2 as seen along line 3-3 thereof;

FIG. 4 is a exploded view of a zipper with the locking slider thereon in combination with a unique tool for operating the locking slider;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the locking slider illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the unique key illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is cross-sectional view of the key shank as seen along line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view like FIG. 4 but with the locking set screw exploded with respect to the zipper;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the locking slide in engagement with the zipper mechanism;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the locking mechanism illustrated in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of the set screw illustrated in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 12 is a view of a plush toy with the locking mechanism zipped for the zipper in connection therewith.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As seen from FIG. 12, there is a plush toy 20 in the stuffed condition made up of a plush skin 25 and stuffing therewithin. A zipper 30 is located, preferably but not necessarily, on the back of the plush toy and includes a locking zipper 30. The zipper 30 is of a standard type which includes selvage 31 running longitudinally of the zipper 30 along either side of the column of teeth 32 which are, as is well known, interlocking fastener elements, shown in the open position and in the closed position 33. The locking slider 35 includes a housing 36 having an inner member 37 with respect to the inside of the plush toy 20 and an outer member 38 outside the plush toy. A rearwardly extending body portion 40 has two inwardly facing protrusions 41 and 42 defining a slot 43 therebetween. A pull tab 45 has a throat portion 46 and a grasping portion 47, the throat portion 46 being constructed and arranged to fit within the slot 43 which in cooperation with the inwardly facing protrusions 41 and 42 prevent the pull tab 45 from being removed, in normal usage, by a child.

Referring now to FIGS. 3-5, 10 and 11, there is seen an aperture 50 in the housing 36, which aperture has a countersunk portion 51 and a tapped portion 52 which extends through the housing 36 to provide an opening 53 in the face portion of the outer member 38, for a reason hereinafter explained. The aperture 50 may if desired for manufacturing purpose extend through the inner member 37. As seen particularly in FIG. 2, the aperture 50 is located along the center line of the housing 36 in registry with the zipper 30 (when closed) and toward the grasping portion 47 of the pull tab 45 as illustrated in FIG. 2. This location is for ease of manufacture but also aligns the later to be described set screw 60 with the zipper 30 when it is in the interlocked position 33 as previously described.

The set screw 60 has a non-standard head 61 with a threaded shank 62 and a bottom surface 63 thereof. The set screw 60 has a non-standard opening 65 in the head 61 thereof. A non-standard opening as used herein simply means an opening that is not a slot for a normal screw driver or a cross for a phillips screw driver nor preferably a hexagonal allen wrench. Rather, the non-standard opening 65 as illustrated is a five-sided pentagon but it should be understood that any non-standard opening whether the walls are straight or sinuous, whether the sides are five, seven or any other number may be used herein. The purpose is to prevent access to the interior of the plush toy 20 after the zipper 30 and locking slider 35 have been locked.

FIGS. 4-7 show the use of a wrench 70 to perform the locking operation so as to firmly affix the locking slider 35 in place with respect to the zipper 30. The wrench 70 includes a handle portion 71 in the form of an open loop and an elongated shank 72 which as seen in FIG. 7 in transverse cross-section is complimentary in shape to the non-standard opening 65 in the set screw 60. A blank 74 may be used to provide advertising and the like in the wrench 70 or may be used merely for purposes of strengthening the wrench to prevent it from twisting or bending during use.

Referring now to FIG. 12, there is disclosed a plush toy 20 which has a zipper 30 longitudinally arranged preferably in the back portion of the plush toy 20. The zipper 30 has two rows of teeth or interlocking fastener elements 32 shown in the unopened position and a locking slider 35 having a pull tab 45 extending therefrom. The interior of the plush toy 20 is filled with a stuffing as noted from the figure.

As known, the zipper 30 may be made of metal or plastic as may the locking slider 35. Plastics which are particularly useful for either the zipper 30 or the locking slider 35 are polyamide, polyacetals, polybutylene, polypropylene, polybutylene terphthalate and various mixtures thereof. The preferred material for the locking slider 35 is an acetyl manufactured and sold by DuPont and under the name Delrin® or Delrin AF®, which has both lubricity as well as less hygroscopic properties than customary nylon. Delrin AF® is filled with PTFE to reduce friction. This facilitates operation of the locking slider 35 and zipper 30 and prevents jams or other malfunctions. The wrench 70 may be made of metal or a relatively stiff plastic, it being understood that metal is preferred to provide the requisite strength to resist twisting tork when the locking slider is locked.

While engineering drawings are not usually provided, in order to understand the smallness of the set screw 60 and other portions of the invention, it should be noted that a preferred measurement for the set screw length from the top of the set screw head 61 to the bottom surface 63 is 0.204 inches or about 5.184 mm. The other dimensions of the invention can be calculated by one of ordinary skill in the art from the dimensions given for the set screw 60. As seen in FIG. 10, when the set screw 60 and particularly the end or bottom surface 63 thereof is in firm or snug contact with the zipper 30 in the closed position 33 thereof, then the locking slider 35 is immovable and without the wrench 70 the locking slider 35 cannot be moved along the zipper 30 and access to the interior of the plush toy 20 is denied.

While there has been disclosed what is considered to be the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is understood that various changes in the details may be made without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention. 

1. A locking slider for a zipper, comprising a housing through which passes interlocking fastener elements forming a closure, said housing having inner and outer members forming a passageway for the fastener elements, a countersunk tapped aperture in said outer member in registry with the interlocking fastener elements when formed into a closure, a set screw having a non-standard head for threadable engagement with said countersunk tapped aperture, whereby when said set screw is in said countersunk tapped aperture and in snug contact with the closure formed by the interlocking fastener elements said housing is locked in place with respect to the interlocking fastener elements and cannot be moved without a mating tool for said non-standard head of said set screw.
 2. The locking slider of claim 1, wherein said housing is a synthetic organic resin.
 3. The locking slider of claim 1, wherein said housing is selected from a polyamide, polyacetal, polypropylene, polybutylene terphthalate and mixtures thereof.
 4. The locking slider of claim 1, wherein said housing is a nylon with built in lubricity.
 5. The locking slider of claim 1, wherein said set screw has a head that is below said outer surface when said set screw is in snug contact with the interlocking fastener elements and has a distal end in contact with the interlocking fastener elements and traps the elements against said inner member.
 6. The locking slider of claim 1, wherein said non-standard head of said set screw has a non-standard opening therein.
 7. The locking slider of claim 2, wherein said set screw is a polyacetyl.
 8. The locking slider of claim 1, wherein said housing has a slot formed by opposed inwardly facing protrusions for receiving a pivotally mounted pull tab.
 9. The locking slider of claim 8, and further including a pull tab sized to fit between said inwardly facing protrusions and difficult to remove from said slot.
 10. The locking slider of claim 6, and further including a wrench having a shank with a transverse cross section complementary to said non-standard opening.
 11. A plush animal skin having a zipper therein, comprising interlocking fastener elements and a locking slider therefor, said locking slider having a housing through which passes said interlocking fastener elements capable of forming a closure, said housing having inner and outer members forming a passageway for said interlocking fastener elements, a counter sunk tapped aperture in said outer member in registry with said interlocking fastener elements when formed into a closure, a set screw having a non-standard head for threadable engagement with said countersunk tapped aperture, whereby when said set screw is in said counter sunk tapped aperture and in snug contact with said closure formed by said interlocking fastener elements said housing is locked in place with respect to said interlocking fastener elements and cannot be moved without a mating tool for said non-standard head of said set screw thereby preventing said plush animal skin zipper from being opened if formed into a closure.
 12. The plush skin of claim 11, wherein said set screw has a head that is below said outer surface when said set screw is in snug contact with the interlocking fastener elements.
 13. The plush skin of claim 11, wherein said non-standard head of said set screw has a non-standard opening therein.
 14. The plush skin of claim 11, wherein said housing and said set screw are a polyamide.
 15. The plush skin of claim 11, wherein said housing has a slot formed by opposed inwardly facing protrusions for receiving a pivotally mounted pull tab.
 16. The plush skin of claim 15, and further including a pull tab sized to fit between said inwardly facing protrusions and difficult to remove from said slot.
 17. The plush skin of claim 15, and further including a wrench having a shank with a transverse cross section complementary to said non-standard opening.
 18. The plush skin of claim 17, wherein said wrench is metal.
 19. The plush skin of claim 17, and further including stuffing in said plush skin.
 20. The plush skin of claim 11, wherein said set screw when in snug contact with said closure traps said closure between said set screw and said inner member forming said passageway for said interlocking fastener elements. 